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Blossoming into Spring at Montgomery County Recreation

Montgomery County Maryland sent this bulletin at 04/01/2025 04:00 PM EDT

| April 2025

Prom Couture Closet Event this Saturday, April 5
Get in the Game with MoCoRec Flag Football this Spring
Showcasing Our Services: ZamDance with Jackie Zamora
Students Shine in Fashion Boot Camp Finale Event
Set Sail with the Rec Regatta on May 3
Update on Summer Hiring with Montgomery County Recreation
Upcoming Events with Montgomery County Recreation

Catch The Rec Insider on YouTube

Want a quick recap of everything that's happening with Montgomery County Recreation this month? Watch the April edition of The Rec Insider on our YouTube channel!

And catch up on previous videos by streaming our playlist.

Prom Couture Closet Event this Saturday, April 5

It's almost time! Our Prom Couture Closet giveaway event will take place THIS Saturday, April 5, at Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. On this day, any high school student with their I.D. card will be able to 'shop the racks' and select an outfit from a variety of gently used and new dresses, suits, accessories and more, donated by the community.

This event will be first come, first served.

The event aims to eliminate the financial obstacle of attending prom, which for many students, turns out to be one of the most memorable days of high school.

Check out some photos from one of our recent Prom Couture Closet events on our Flickr album.

Get in the Game with MoCoRec Flag Football this Spring

Hut, hut, hike! Get outside and enjoy the warmer weather with our youth spring MoCoRec NFL Flag Football League.

Our league offers an exciting, non-contact alternative to traditional tackle football, promoting fitness, teamwork and fun for all participants. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the sport, our league provides a fantastic opportunity to engage in friendly competition, improve your skills and make lasting memories. Check out our video from last year's spring season on YouTube.

Registration is underway with locations in Burtonsville, Damascus, Montgomery Village, Gaithersburg, Wheaton and more. This program is offered for ages 6-14 and costs just $60. (Note that we also have a high school girls league at Paint Branch High School for ages 14-18). Registration closes April 6.

There will be five weeks of games and practices on Sundays between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Practices will be one hour before game time. Teams and divisions will be established after the registration period ends.

Showcasing Our Services: ZamDance with Jackie Zamora

Jackie Zamora built a following in Montgomery County when she launched her ZamDance program in 2013. Several years ago, she partnered as a contractor with Montgomery County Recreation. ZamDance is not just a typical dance and fitness class. What makes it unique is that it is specifically designed for children and adults with disabilities. With exciting popular songs playing from the speakers, participants get to let loose with friends in a dynamic environment, performing moves such as jumping jacks, running in place and more.

“The truth is these individuals need a space to go and have fun,” Jackie said. “Having these classes with Montgomery County Recreation is so important because they have a place to go and they love it!”

Jackie grew up in New York City and after graduating from Brooklyn College, she worked as a fitness instructor, dance teacher and as a first-grade teacher. Jackie later moved to Montgomery County and the initial ideas for ZamDance started when she worked as a one-on-one assistant teacher at the Ivymount School. She said she felt renewed inspiration for starting her own company after serving as a choreographer for one of the school’s musical productions and seeing her students on stage.

“I sat and watched the show, and I was just so impressed by the talent that I saw onstage,” Jackie said. “It really inspired me to start my own dance company.”

Jackie launched ZamDance in September 2013. The first class started with six students and with each additional class, the number of students continued to grow.

“It really grew by word of mouth because of the positive reactions of the students and how much they loved the program,” Jackie said.

What’s kept Jackie going throughout the years has been seeing the impact the program has had on the participants and their families. She said she’s looking forward to seeing where ZamDance goes in the years ahead.

“The fact that my students can become leaders and teach routines to others, it’s so impressive to watch,” Jackie said. “And the parents are having a wonderful time watching them. So much love gets brought out in the amount of time in the class.”

“Everyone feels safe. When you feel safe in one place, you don’t want to leave, and you want to come back.”

ZamDance meets this spring on Tuesday evenings at Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center and Thursday evenings at Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center.

Check out our recently produced video highlighting our Therapeutic Recreation programs on our YouTube channel now!

Students Shine in Fashion Boot Camp Finale Event

Montgomery County Recreation's Fashion Boot Camp program wrapped up its ninth season with a finale show at East County Community Recreation Center that featured the talent and creativity of all of our participants on full display.

For the last two months, students met every Friday evening and were taught modeling fundamentals, choreography, precision and more, in order to excel on the stage. They also learned lifelong skills that can be applied off the stage including time management, team building, patience, leadership and so much more.

During the program, students were supported by guest speakers and program alumni who helped serve as mentors and provided encouragement using experiences from their Fashion Boot Camp journey.

And this year's show was also unique because it was the first time that the Fashion Boot Camp was intergenerational, as a group of participants from several of our Senior Centers joined in on the fun, practiced in rehearsals and performed on the stage!

Congrats to all of our participants on another great show and season!

Check out photos from the event on our Flickr album.

Set Sail with the Rec Regatta on May 3

Showcase your creativity and join us for this year's Rec Regatta on Saturday, May 3 from Noon to 3 p.m. at the Olney Swim Center. In advance of the event, participants will make their own cardboard boats and compete to see which goes the fastest and survives the longest before sinking! Awards will be given for the fastest boat, best design, team spirit and more.

Boats and paddles may only be created from clean cardboard and duct tape and must hold two people. The bottom of the boat may not be covered with duct tape. Boats may be a maximum width of five feet and a maximum length of seven feet. Family groups can have all ages participate in creating the boat, but individuals in the vessel must be 10 or older. Check out photos from last year's event on our Flickr album.

All ages are welcome! Registration is $10 per boat and can be completed online through ActiveMONTGOMERY.

And we had a thrilling day on the water last month at our 2025 Senior Cardboard Boat Regatta at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Swim Center, where teams participated from MoCoRec's Senior Centers across the County.

It was a great event filled with terrific team spirit and support from the entire crowd. Congrats to everyone involved! Check out photos from the event on our Flickr album.

Update on Summer Hiring with Montgomery County Recreation

Due to an overwhelming response and limited positions available, Montgomery County Recreation has canceled the remaining scheduled summer job fairs. While the job fairs have been cancelled, applications remain open. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply for consideration for future opportunities. For more information, please visit www.mocorec.com/apply.

The part-time/seasonal pay rate begins at $17.15 an hour and increases based on experience. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age at the start of camps (lifeguards must be at least 15). Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

As a condition of employment, applicants will be required to pass a criminal background investigation. The investigation will include state, federal and sex offender background checks.

Upcoming Events with Montgomery County Recreation

We have a lot of great events planned at our Montgomery County Recreation centers! Make sure to check out the full calendar on our website.

Thursday, April 3, Senior Kickball, 10 - 11:30 a.m. at Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center (Outdoor Turf Field)
Saturday, April 5, Prom Couture Closet, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center
Sunday, April 6, Therapeutic Recreation Family Egg-sessible Sunday, 2 - 4 p.m. at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center
Friday, April 11, Teens Night Out: Video Game Tournament, 6 - 9:30 p.m. at Long Branch Community Recreation Center
Saturday, April 12
- Bunny Brunch, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center
- Table Tennis Open Play, 12 - 5 p.m. at White Oak Community Recreation Center
- Bloom at Good Hope Concert Series featuring Diwa Soul with Trinity Villanueva, 5 - 6 p.m. at Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center
Sunday, April 13, Puzzle Mania: Puzzle Build Competition and Swap, 12 - 4 p.m. at Wheaton Community Recreation Center
Monday, April 14, Countywide Recreation and Parks Advisory Board Meeting, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at 2425 Reedie Drive, 10th Floor, Wheaton
Tuesday, April 15 - Wednesday, April 16, Spring Break Basketball Tournament at Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center
Thursday, April 17, Sports Advisory Committee Meeting, 6 - 8 p.m. at Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center
Saturday, April 19, Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Damascus Community Recreation Center
Friday, April 25
- Teens Night Out: 3v3 Basketball Tournament, 6 - 9:30 p.m. at East County Community Recreation Center
- Sip N' Paint, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Potomac Community Recreation Center
Saturday, May 3
- Community Resource Day, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Long Branch Community Recreation Center
- Rec Regatta, 12 - 3 p.m. at Olney Swim Center
Sunday, May 4, Therapeutic Recreation Sunday Funday Swim, 12 - 4 p.m. at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center

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